Friday, January 19, 2007

Townhomes planned for Martin Tower development

Martin Tower would be redeveloped into 266 condominiums and its surrounding property would give rise to another 552 new homes, according to a sketch plan released Thursday.

The sketch submitted this month to city planners shows the homes built around seven pocket parks on the 53-acre site, including two designated for dog walking. Paths would connect to the Monocacy Creek trail at the Burnside Plantation and to the Monocacy Park ball fields off Schoenersville Road.

A clubhouse with pool and parking garages for some of the site's 2,124 parking spaces are also planned, as is 13,000 square feet of retail space. Bethlehem-based developer Lou Pektor said he envisions neighborhood retailers such as dry cleaning, a coffee shop and salon.

The submission of plans marks the first tangible sign of progress on the roughly $300 million project since city council rezoned the property last March. The new zoning allows homes and retail while requiring the preservation of Martin Tower, built in the 1970s as Bethlehem Steel Corp. headquarters.

More here.

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